How long should one steam a two pint Christmas pudding?

My mum gave me a recipe, but only gave pressure cooker (1.5hrs) and bain-marie (3.5hrs) cooking times.

I've used plastic pudding basins and don't have a pressure cooker, so I need to steam in a pot of water. Any ideas on times? Does it really need 8 hours as I've read on the net?

I have 13 pints (I'm not sure how that happend - puds as presents this year me thinks) of pudding in various pudding basin sizes. Presume the 1/2 pint puds would need considerably less time than the 2 pints?

I think November is the traditional time for making them. I haven't made them before so mum made up the mixture here with me a couple of days ago when she was visiting. I just added some Guinness and am doing the nasty steamy bin on my own!

Thanks for the time guides. Thankfully only have 2 large ones... So does it work that you halve the time if you halve the mixture? eg2 pints = 8 hours1.5 pint = 6 hours1 pint = 4 hours0.5 pint = 2 hours

It doesn't quite work out like that with timings - there seems to be a minimum for Delia's recipe of three hours whatever the size. In her traditional Christmas pudding recipe, she says the quantity makes one 2 pinter, or eight 6oz (175g) mini puds, but that the small ones still need 3 hours.

However, I've seen other recipes where they steam for less; myself, I've only ever made this one (for the last 15 years or so) because I like it so much!